Conveyor system for manufactured articles, particularly confections

ABSTRACT

A conveyor system for aligning objects includes three sequentially arranged conveyor belts. The first belt has a velocity v1 and delivers the objects to the second belt. The second belt runs intermittently, having a mean velocity at least equal to v1 and delivers the objects to the third belt. The third belt runs continuously at a velocity greater than v1. An alignment rail over the third belt is lowered to align the objects, and is periodically raised to let them pass. A periodically acting thrusting device over the third belt may be provided for urging rows of the objects closer together. A vertically movable product holder may be provided at the end of the second belt to inhibit passage of objects to the third belt except during determined intervals. A further alignment rail may be provided on the third belt after the thrusting device for realigning the objects if necessary.

United States Patent [1 1 Steinhart et al.

[451 Dec. 17, 1974 CONVEYOR SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURED ARTICLES, PARTICULARLY CONFECTIONS [73] Assignee: Nabisco, Inc., New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 308,428

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 3O 3024b25 in f, a

Primary Examiner-James B. Marbert Assistant ExaminerJoseph E. Valenza Attorney, Agent, or FirmWolfgang G. Fasse; l. A. Strombeck 5 7] ABSTRACT A conveyor system for aligning objects includes three sequentially arranged conveyor belts. The first belt has a velocity v and delivers the objects to the second belt. The second belt runs intermittently, having a mean velocity at least equal to v 'and delivers the objects to the third belt. The third belt runs continuously at a velocity-greater than V An alignment rail over the third belt is lowered to align the objects, and is periodically raised to let them pass. A periodically acting thrusting device over the third belt may be provided for urging rows of the objects closer together. A vertically movable product holder may be provided at the end of the second belt to inhibit passage of objects to the third belt except during determined intervals. A further alignment rail may be provided on the third belt after the thrusting device for realigning the objects if necessary.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CONVEYOR SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURED ARTICLES, PARTICULARLY CONFECTIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

This invention relates to conveyor systems for deliv ering small items or pieces, for example, to a counting or packing station and is particularly directed, to the conveying of coated confections, which are fed from a conveyor belt at irregular spacing in approximately parallel rows in the direction of transport. It will be apparent, of course, that the invention may also be employed for the delivery of other types of goods.

The above described order of completed small items or pieces, with varying intervals, can occur in many processes, depending on the kind of product and on the preparatory process employed in preparing the goods. Consequently, a uniform, particularly mechanical, packing process, associated if necessary with a counting step, is not possible. This is also true in the processing of confections which have passed on a conveyor first through a coating machine and then through a cooling section while the confections may exhibit a certain regularity of order if they are placed by hand on the conveyor before coating, absolute accuracy of spacing in a row and crosswise alignment is not guaranteed by hand placing. In particular, the lateral align ment of rows requires a very low delivery speed of the conveyor, or on the other hand, very fast and painfully acurate labor. Both of these solutions are uneconimical. Uniform spacing and cross row alignment is also not obtained in extensively mechanized processes, in which the articles are passed through various manufacturing stations and several conveyors.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a conveyor system, of the above described type, which by the use of simple and economical means, rearranges small items or pieces in an orderly manner suitable for a subsequent counting and/or packing station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

Briefly stated, in accordance with the invention, a conveyor system is provided including means for rearranging small items or pieces to form lateral rows, lined up perpendicularly with respect to the direction of transport. The system includes a first feeding conveyor, an intermittently running second conveyor belt, a more rapidly running third conveyor belt, and mounted over the third belt, an alignment rail that can be raised and lowered at a determined rate.

In the system according to the invention, the intermittently running second conveyor is provided to insure that pieces are transferred to the third belt only at timed intervals. The correct choice of parameters; namely, the period and amplitude of the second conveyor and the speed of the third conveyor, allows no more than one piece to be transferred at any given time from a longitudinal row to the third conveyor belt. The parameters are dependent at any given time upon the minimum spacing of pieces that can be expected in any longitudinal row. This minimum spacing is a result of the preceding manufacturing processes and conveying means. When confections pass through a chute or shaking trough in part of their preceding route, the minimum spacing results when the confections are transferred to a faster moving conveyor. The stepwise operation of the second conveyor belt and the speed of the third conveyor, in accordance with the invention, make it possible to increase the spacing of piece goods within a row so that a descending alignment rail cannot be lowered down upon the products.

.The system according to the invention operates by mechanical means which are simple to manufacture and maintain. Moreover, the speeds and period of operation can be simply altered to adapt to different manufacturing processes with different spacing between pieces. The uncomplicated motion of the alignment rail in a vertical direction makes it subject, likewise, to easy control. Lateral shifting of the belt, such as can occur with long conveyors, does not adversely affect the aligning of the cross rows.

BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION:

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a schematic plan view of a conveyor system according to one embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the conveyor system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS:

Referring now to the drawings, one embodiment of a system in accordance with the invention includes a first conveyor belt 1, a second conveyor 2, and a third conveyor 3. These three belts consecutively assume the work load and move in the same transport direction indicated in FIG. 1 by an arrow A.

The drawings show only the transfer zone of belt I with a guide roller 4 (FIG. 2) at this location. The belt runs continuously at a speed v The drive and loading of goods on this belt are conventional, and are hence not illustrated to simplify the drawing.

The second belt 2 is operated rythmically preferably by means of 21 Geneva gear drive. Each cycle has a running time and a rest period of equal duration. The average speed of a whole cycle is v,,. The Geneva gear mechanism is rotated by a drive chain 6 from a power source 7 such as an electric motor.

The third belt 3 is operated continuously by a suitable conventional drive 8 at velocity V At the end of its work run it is led over two guide rollers 9 and 10 installed in a slide movable in and against the belts transport direction. From slide 11 on the return run, the belt 3 passes over a fixed roller 12. Two cross conveyors 37 and 38 are positioned at the end of the work run. Arrows B, and B indicate their travel directions.

In the transfer zone between the second and third conveyor belts, a product holder 13 is advantageously placed so that it extends normal to the transport direction and is suitably mounted so that it can be raised and lowered in phase with the motion of the second belt. This holder insures that whenever the second belt comes to rest, none of the piece goods can be seized by the third belt and moved on from the second conveyor.

The product holder 13 is vertically movable over the conveyors and is located at the region of transfer from belt 2 to belt 3. It is connected to one arm of a lever 14 whose opposite end has a roller 15 in order to provide the desired vertical movement. The roller rests on a cam 16, driven by chain 6.

In the transfer from the first conveyor to the intermittently running second conveyor belt, such a product holder is not required, at least in the case of coated confections which the first belt has transported through a coating machine and then a cooling section. The coating causes the pieces to adhere to the first belt in such a manner that they cannot move in an uncontrolled manner, especially so that they cannot experience a sideward turn when the second conveyor is motionless. Such turning could cause articles with delicate crusts to damage each other, as well as to effect a disruption of the desired longitudinal alignment.

At a position spaced from the transfer region between the second and third belts, a vertically movable alignment rail 17 is mounted over belt 3. Like holder 13, it is connected to one arm of a lever 18 whose other end rests with a roller 19 on a cam 20, likewise driven by chain 6, but in the opposite direction of rotation. A second holder 21, with associated lever 22, roller 22a, and cam 23, is incorporated at a position spaced from the end of the third conveyors working run. Chain 6 also drives cam 23., but in the opposite direction to cam 20.

Since in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second conveyor belt, the product holder, and the alignment rail have a common actuation, construction and operation of the apparatus are economical, and control is simply attained by a positive phase coupling among the motions of these parts. The common drive preferably, although not necessarily, consists of the endless belt or chain 6.

In a further improvement of a conveyor system according to this invention, at least one laterally effective thrusting device 24a is arranged above the third con-- veyor belt and following the alignment rail. This device 240 allows the lateral spacing within each cross row to be changed. Pieces of confectionery which pass through a coating machine for the application of chocolate or other liquid coverings exhibit, in consequence of this process, a specified, relatively large lateral spacing. This large spacing is undesirable in the following stages of transport. Action of the thrusting device moves the pieces closer together without affecting their lateral alighment. Thus, the pieces require less space on a further transport means such as a further conveyor positioned at a right angle to the third conveyor, whereby said further conveyor can run more slowly. The space saving is especially significant when the width of the third belt and/or the number of rows is large. Greater manufacturing capacity, as in a coating machine, can be utilized in this way.

The thrusting device 24a can incorporate a frame 25 suitably mounted on the support of the third conveyor by means (not shown) and adapted to support at least one vertically and horizontally movable rake 29. The capability of moving up and down as well as to and fro enables the work stroke of the rake 29 to be accomplished in a lowered position on the conveyor to shift the product pieces. The rake can be raised for the returnstroke, during which time a new group of pieces can be delivered to the rakes effective zone. The rake ispreferably mounted to move horizontally at an angle to the direction of transport. This means that, while shifting the pieces laterally, the rake simultaneously follows the longitudinal motion imparted to them by the conveyor. As a consequence there is no delay in delivery of the pieces. In addition, the pieces are not stressed as much which is essential with delicate products.

In the preferred embodiment as illustrated, the thrusting device 24a has two rakes 29, each covering about half of the conveyors width. This has the advantage of reducing the length of the work and return strokes. With the same performance, an individual rake can be made shorter to handle less material at a time. In addition, single pieces are shifted a shorter distance, and only half of the pieces arriving in a cross row are shifted at a time. This contributes to careful handling.

A preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated includes two thrusting devices 24a and 24b. These devices extend at such angles to the direction A of transport that the angle between thrusting devices is approximately bisected by a line perpendicular to the travel direction. The thrusting devices have the same construction, but are arranged so that their working strokes Ca and Cb are oppositely directed relative to the sides of the conveyor 3. Device 24b has such a placement, consequently, that corresponds to a rotation of at least 270 from the orientation of device 24a in their horizontal plane. The devices 24a and 24b are preferably at approximately a 45 angle to'the direction of transport in the horizontal plane and at a right angle to each other, with oppositely directed work strokes. This scheme allows a further shortening of stroke to about a quarter of the conveyor width. One thrusting device pushes half the pieces in one direction, the other the rest in the opposite direction from those already shifted together. If each thrusting device operates with only one rake, the result is a group of closely spaced pieces in the center of the conveyor. With two rakes in each thrusting device, there will be two separate ranks of pieces in close proximity. Since evenfewer pieces are shifted together with each work stroke in this manner, careful handling is enhanced.

In order to movably support the gates, each frame 25 preferably holds two guides 26, indicated only by their center lines, on which a support plate 27 can be moved in the direction of arrow Ca and Cb respectively, and back by means of cylinder 28. Each plate 27 carries two spaced apart rakes 29. Each plate is connected to a separate vertically operating force cylinder 30. Cylinder 28 of both thrusting devices as well as the coupled cylinders 30 are operably connected by suitable lines (not shown) to the output of control system 31. The control system is coupled to a cam 32 mounted on the shaft of the power source7 for chain 6. A cam 33 on the same shaft is coupled to operate control system 34 which determines the movement of slide 11 by means of cylinder 35.

The above described system according to one embodiment of the invention operates as follows. The system of FIGS. 1 and 2 is specifically designed for the delivery of confections indicated by short lines 36 which come from a cooling installation after being coated with liquid chocolate. A stick shape is indicated. The pieces are carried from a cooler on the first belt I at a constant speed v 1 and are arranged in longitudinal rows with roughly equal lateral spacing. However, spacing of pieces in the direction of transport is irregular, and the spacing of each row from the other rows is greater than desired. It is only possible to achieve a definite minimum distance .a between the leading edges of two pieces following each other in the same row. This minimum distance is a result of the handling of the pieces during the earlier portion of transport, when the products pass from a vibrating chute (not shown) to the faster moving first conveyor belt 1.

The second belt 2 has a stepwise motion with a frequency T, corresponding to T v /a, where 11" is the above mentioned minimum distance between the leading edges of two adjacent pieces in the same row on belt 1. This frequency assures that during each cycle no more than one piece of confectionary 36 per row is transferred from the first belt 1 to the second belt 2. The mean velocity v of the second belt is at least equal to the velocity v of the first belt, that is, during its movement the second belt reaches a velocity that is at least about double that of the first belt.

During the time of each cycle, no more than one piece per row moves on to the third conveyor, whose constant speed v is at least double the speed v,. The product holder 13 which rises to permit passage of pieces thereunder when the second belt is moving and falls to prevent passage of pieces when the second belt stops, prevents pieces arriving at the end of the work run of the second belt or overlapping onto the third belt at the time the second belt stops from being taken by the third belt. The first alignment rail 17 is brought down upon the third belt by its cam 20, driven in synchronization with the stepwise motion of belt. 2 by the Geneva gear mechanism 5. It halts the oncoming group of pieces with at most one piece from each longitudinal row until all of the group have arrived. The alignment rail 17 is then raised for a brief time so that the pieces now aligned laterally can pass under the rail. Then the rail 17 descends again.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the laterally aligned pieces now move into the zone of the lateral thrusting device 240. This device executes a work stroke, cyclically actuated by control system 31, in the direction of arrow Ca with rakes 29 down tight against belt 3. In this way, each rake 29 at a time pushes about a quarter of a row of pieces closely together. The speed of the work stroke is set so that its component in the transport direction matches the belt velocity v;,. The back stroke follows with the retraction of cylinder 28. At the same time, cylinders 30 are actuated in the vertical direction to lift rakes 29 so that they move back over the pieces and do not disturb them. Thrusting device 24b works in the same manner to shift the two quarter rows not previously shifted in the opposite direction, so that the pieces on the third belt are now arranged in two laterally aligned groups of closely spaced pieces. Rows are realigned by the second alignment rail 21, which acts in the same way as 17, in case any irregularity develops from the action of the thrusting devices. Slide 11 controlled by cam 33 moves periodically to and fro, so that the end of the working surface of belt 3 alternately extends over lateral belts 37 and 38 and, without change of speed, is drawn back. Consequently, two lateral rows of the product fall at intervals upon the lateral belts 37 and 38 which feed the pieces to a counting and/or packing station.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the above described specific example. The relationship of the various delivery speeds, step periods, and physical spacings is variable according to the product to be delivered. In the same way, one or both of the thrusting devices can be omitted, or both can work in the same direction, if necessary, depending upon the intended order of pieces as determined by the manufacturing process. The common drive and common control for movement of the second belt, the product holder, and the alignment rails can be effected by other means, for example by electric control although this would involve a considerably greater expense in fabricating the apparatus.

It will be obvious that application of the delivery system is not limited to confectionary products. Other piece goods which are delivered in similar order or disorder and which must be arranged in uniform groups or rows for counting and/or packing can be conveyed through a conveyor system of this kind without departing from the invention.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it is to be understood, that it is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to re ceive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative rake means, means for positioning said rake means above said third belt following said rail means, means for periodically operating said rake means for urging objects transversely on said third belt, and frame means for movably supporting said rake means, said rake means comprising first and second rakes spaced apart, in the direction transverse to the direction of movement of said third belt, by a distance substantially equal to one half the width of said third belt.

2. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative rake means, means for positioning said rake means above said third belt following said rail means, means for periodically operating said rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, frame means for movable supporting said rake means, and means for moving said rake means, said means for moving said rake means comprising first force cylinder means on said frame for moving said rake means parallel to the plane of said third belt, and second force cylinder means on said frame for moving said rake means normal to the plane of said third belt.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising guide means on said frame means for horizontally guiding said rake means and said second force cylinder means.

4. In a conveyor system of the type having a first eonveyor belt movable at a velocity v, and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v, and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative thrusting means, means for positioning said thrusting means above said third belt following said rail means, and means for periodically operating said thrusting means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, said thrusting means comprising first and second thrusting devices positioned at opposite angles with respect to the direction of movement of said third belt, said first and second thrusting devices being operative to urge objects in opposite directions transversely on said third belt.

LII

5. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v. and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects; the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt at a frequency T= v /a, wherein v is the velocity of the first belt, and a is the longitudinal spacing between the leading edges of two successive objects, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v, and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, said frequency T v /a assuring that said alignment rail will be positioned between successive objects, laterally operative thrusting means, means for positioning said thrusting means above said third belt following said rail means, said thrusting means comprising rake means for urging said objects transversely on said third belt, means for periodically operating rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, and frame means for movably supporting said rake means for movement in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of said third belt, said means for periodically operating said rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt comprising means for moving said rake means in a direction of movement of said third belt with a velocity that matches the velocity of said third belt, 

1. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v1 and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improVement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v1 and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative rake means, means for positioning said rake means above said third belt following said rail means, means for periodically operating said rake means for urging objects transversely on said third belt, and frame means for movably supporting said rake means, said rake means comprising first and second rakes spaced apart, in the direction transverse to the direction of movement of said third belt, by a distance substantially equal to one half the width of said third belt.
 2. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v1 and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v1 and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative rake means, means for positioning said rake means above said third belt following said rail means, means for periodically operating said rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, frame means for movable supporting said rake means, and means for moving said rake means, said means for moving said rake means comprising first force cylinder means on said frame for moving said rake means parallel to the plane of said third belt, and second force cylinder means on said frame for moving said rake means normal to the plane of said third belt.
 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising guide means on said frame means for horizontally guiding said rake means and said second force cylinder means.
 4. In a conveyor system of the type having a first conveyor belt movable at a velocity v1 and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects, the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v1 and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, laterally operative thrusting means, means for positioning said thrusting means above said third belt following said rail means, and means for periodically operating said thrusting means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, said thrusting means comprising first and second thrusting devices positioned at opposite angles with respect to the direction of movement of said third belt, said first and second thrusting devices being operative to urge objects in opposite directions transversely on said third belt.
 5. In a conveyor system of the type having a first coNveyor belt movable at a velocity v1 and adapted to transport irregularly spaced objects; the improvement comprising means for aligning said objects, said means comprising a second conveyor belt positioned to receive said objects from said first belt, means for intermittently operating said second belt at a frequency T v1/a, wherein v1 is the velocity of the first belt, and ''''a'''' is the longitudinal spacing between the leading edges of two successive objects, a continuously running third belt having a velocity greater than v1 and positioned to receive said objects from said second belt, alignment rail means positioned above said third belt, means for periodically moving said rail means to a first position to inhibit movement of said objects on said third belt and moving said rail means to a second position to permit movement of said objects on said third conveyor belt, said frequency T v1/a assuring that said alignment rail will be positioned between successive objects, laterally operative thrusting means, means for positioning said thrusting means above said third belt following said rail means, said thrusting means comprising rake means for urging said objects transversely on said third belt, means for periodically operating rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt, and frame means for movably supporting said rake means for movement in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of said third belt, said means for periodically operating said rake means to urge objects transversely on said third belt comprising means for moving said rake means in a direction of movement of said third belt with a velocity that matches the velocity of said third belt. 